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Treatment

COVID-19 Roundup: New Treatment, Obesity, Birth Rates

Acute Myocardial Infarction and Ischemic Stroke1

Hospitalization for acute myocardial infarction and ischemic stroke declined during the initial surge of the pandemic, according to the results of a recent study.

The researchers utilized the Kaiser Permanente Northern California health care system to evaluate data from approximately 4.5 million adults from 21 medical centers and 255 clinics. The weekly incidence rates for those hospitalized with acute myocardial infarction or suspected acute ischemic stroke was compared to the weekly incidence of COVID-19 hospitalizations from January 2019 to January 2020.

In spring of 2020, defined as weeks 8 to 15 of the pandemic, weekly acute myocardial infarction hospitalizations decreased by up to 41%. Both weekly hospitalizations for acute myocardial infarction and stroke alerts recovered to 2019 levels during weeks 16 to 19 of the pandemic, between the spring and summer COVID-19 surges.

However, hospitalizations for acute myocardial infarction did not significantly decrease during the larger summer (weeks 23 to 30) and winter surges (weeks 42 to 52). While stroke alerts significantly decreased during the summer surge, the winter surge did not result in a significant decline.

 

New Antiviral Drug2

Researchers with the National Institutes of Health have identified a new potential COVID-19 treatment.

The experimental drug, TEMPOL, is an oral antiviral medication. It works by targeting iron-sulfur clusters within the cells, which SARS-CoV-2 RNA requires in order to replicate.

In addition, the data on RNA replicase this study has provided enables researchers to identify further spots of weakness in this virus. The new information on iron-sulfur cluster binding sites can also be applied to other diseases that utilize iron-sulfur clusters.

“Given TEMPOL’s safety profile and the dosage considered therapeutic in our study, we are hopeful” researchers concluded. “However, clinical studies are needed to determine if the drug is effective in patients, particularly early in the disease course when the virus begins to replicate.”

 

Obesity and Long-Term Symptoms of COVID-193

Individuals who have moderate and severe obesity have a greater risk of long-term symptoms following initial illness with COVID-19, also known as post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC).

Included in the study were 2839 patients who tested positive for COVID-19 but did not require admission to the intensive care unit. Of these patients, over a median of 8 months follow-up period, 43% (n = 1230) required medical diagnostic tests, 44% (n = 1255) were admitted to the hospital, and 1% (n = 29) of patients died.

The risk of hospital admission was 28% higher in patients with moderate obesity and 30% higher in those with severe obesity when compare to patients with a normal body mass index. Similarly, when compared to patients with a normal BMI, the need for diagnostic tests were 29% and 35% higher in patients with moderate and severe obesity, respectively.

 

Pregnancy and Birth Rates4

Pregnancy and birth rates following the COVID-19 pandemic societal shutdown decreased, despite an upward trend in birth rates in recent years.

This cohort study utilized the health care records of a large university health care system in the United States. Included were the number of new pregnancy episodes beginning in 2017 (n = 4100) through 2020 (n = 4620) and modeled new pregnancy episodes through 2021.

The results indicated there was a 14% decrease in pregnancy episode initiation following the March 15 lockdown.

“This cohort study using electronic medical record surveillance found an initial decline in births associated with the COVID-19 pandemic societal changes and an anticipated increase in birth volume,” the researchers concluded. “Future studies can further explore how pregnancy episode volume changes can be monitored and birth rates projected in real-time during major societal events.”

 

—Leigh Precopio

 

References:

  1. Solomon MD, Nguyen-Huynh M, Leong TK, et al. Changes in patterns of hospital visits for acute myocardial infarction or ischemic stroke during COVID-19 surges. JAMA. Published online June 2, 2021. doi: 10.1001/jama.2021.8414
  2. NIH researchers identify potential new antiviral drug for COVID-19. News release. National Institutes of Health; June 3, 2021. Accessed June 4, 2021. https://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/nih-researchers-identify-potential-new-antiviral-drug-covid-19
  3. Aminian A, Bena J, Pantalone KM, Burguera B. Association of obesity with post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC). DOM. Published online June 1, 2021. 10.1111/dom.14454
  4. Stout MJ, Van De Ven CJM, Parekh VI, et al. Use of electronic medical records to estimate changes in pregnancy and birth rates during the COVID-19 pandemic. JAMA Netw Open. 2021;6(4):e2111621. 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2021.11621